If the state will fund a study expected to cost up to $20,000, school officials are interested in the feasibility of combining the four schools in the South Hunterdon High School area to form a single K-12 district.

It could become the county model for K-12 regionalization, said Chrys Harttraft, the interim state superintendent of Hunterdon schools. She said she's applying for consolidation feasibility study money.

"We're going to pursue the study so that the voters and the community know what the costs are... all that goes into the decision-making," she said. The state has established guidelines for the study, she said.

"We know the state wants us to do it and we want to do a feasibility study," said Lambertville school board president Steve Wolock after an informational session attended by representatives of each of the four boards and administrators.

He said the Jan. 26 presentation by N.J. School Boards Association legal department director Mike Kaelber "confirmed most of what we thought."

Mr. Kaelber covered the basics of consolidation, touching on the history of legislative attempts at encouraging regionalization and such issues as dividing costs among municipalities and the role of seniority if a merger leads to staff cuts.

Jim Gallagher, Stockton school board vice president, became involved in the prior round of regionalization talks. He said funding the feasibility study became "the sticking point" the last time and hopes the state's budget woes don't have the same effect in 2009.

He said that Stockton started sharing services -- of a business administrator and special-subject teachers -- "before it became a buzzword. To look at doing more is logical," he added.
West Amwell school board president Cindy Magill felt last week's meeting was productive. "It was important for everyone to get on the same page," she said. "You couldn't have had a better group working together for a common good."

Mr. Wolock was encouraged by the words of support from Ms. Harttraft, who has been tasked with drafting plans by next spring to create K-12 districts throughout Hunterdon. So far, she said the final decision rests with the voters. "Unless that changes, they have the final say," she said. "That's why it's so important for community members to have all of the information" before deciding.

Mr. Wolock also liked hearing that, structured properly, the tax distribution could be comparable to what residents in the three municipalities now pay. "It was a really positive and productive meeting," he said.

Those in attendance will report on their meetings to each of their full boards.